Acknowledging Knowledge Outside of the Classroom: A Look at Two Approaches

Recognizing learning that takes place outside of the classroom helps students build a well-rounded portfolio of skills and receive credit, which aids in course and degree completion. Institutions are tracking opportunities for students and helping them capture their co-curricular and external activities that demonstrate competencies and skills.

Learn how two different institutions have developed tools and initiatives that recognize meaningful learning that takes place outside of courses and how institutions, students, and employers benefit by having an enhanced student record.

The University of California, San Diego has a suite of Engaged Learning Tools, which includes:

• REAL Portal: A comprehensive database of experiential learning opportunities both on- and off-campus.
• Co-Curricular Record: A verified record of student engagement outside the classroom and the skills developed, which students can now request with their transcript.
• Enhanced Electronic Transcript: Extends academic transcript to include contextual information about courses and instructors. Embedded data provides the vital details that enable students and others to better understand the student’s academic history.
• Electronic Portfolio: Showcases honors, achievements, skills, and abilities.

University of South Carolina’s Beyond The Classroom Matters is a system for collecting, organizing, and managing records of non-credit, educationally purposeful activities outside the classroom, and individual student records of involvement in these programs. BTCM is an important component of the university’s student information system, linking involvement in non-credit, educationally purposeful programs to academic records, creating a more comprehensive educational record for each student.

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Related Resources:

• YouTube Recording of Webcast.
• Webcast Slides.